It's not you, it's me.

I am definitely someone who likes to do things myself, especially when it comes to events. Ok so maybe I'm a bit of a control freak. I know this. I've accepted this. I don't mean this as an insult to ANYONE who tries to help me (except #3 below). I truly appreciate the offers for help, but as far as most things are concerned, the reason for me not accepting said help is probably one of the following (this is mainly regarding DIY projects, but #3 refers to decorating):

1. I don't have a specific vision in mind and am going to make it up as I go along. This is usually the case. I let the creative juices flow and the errors come out until I figure out exactly how I want something to look. I am a planner, but not in the sense that I will map/measure/draw something out ahead of time. When it comes to creating or decorating things, I'm typically a go with the moment type of person.
2. I have a specific vision in mind, which will only make me look like a beotch if I go back and correct something you've done. I really don't want to do that!
3. You suck. (This really only applies to one person, who does not read this blog, but I will not name names in case someone else sees it and tells her. Some of you could probably guess who it is since I complain about her... often.)
4. Honestly? I like doing things alone sometimes. Taking my time, having a glass of wine, while watching a movie or trashy tv show. Plus, I tend to get creative at like midnight because I'm crazy like that. Obviously I'm not going to be like "come over and help!" at 1am.
5. I really don't have anywhere to do stuff. I tend to like to do crafts while watching bad tv, and, currently, we don't have a tv in our living room, nor even a floor to really sit on and spread out crafts (hardwoods).
6. I've always really just done things myself, so I'm not used to asking for help from others - or for others wanting to help!

This all being said, I really am trying to utilize help of others, since I know I'll really be needing it soon! Plus, I know when people ask me to help I really enjoy it, so I'm sure other people do, too! I promise it's not you, it's me, and I'm working on it. Once I have final prototypes for DIY projects, I'll definitely be enlisting help of others *cough* Bridesmaid Amanda *cough*. Wedding crap day soon? Your house...

I also have found that this blog has presented me with tons of help from people I wouldn't normally have asked! You never know who might know a jeweler, own a table, have had a good experience with a rental company, etc., until you start asking! In my case, I didn't really ask so much as complain on my blog :) but thanks to everyone who's reached out with helpful tips and contacts - I really appreciate it! I also love finding out all the secret talents my friends have!

This weekend, Bonnie (http://www.undesix.com/) & I were dubbed official decorators for Bridesmaid Amanda's wedding. It was more out of necessity, but I don't care cuz I'm so excited! Anyhoo - just wanted to clarify that I am ALL FOR teaming up with people as creative as, if not moreso than, me (and who I like, as opposed to #3 above, who not only sucks, but I can't stand). Collaborations of creative efforts are awesome, I'm just not used to having such collaborations. Bridesmaid Amanda's FH said this weekend that the three of us (me, Amanda, Bonnie) should go into business... and I think we really just might (Behind the Green Veil LLC anyone??). You know, unless one of us moves to California or something...

-C
xxx

PS I also enlisted MOH Cassie's mad DIY skillz, but that gets a separate post (or two).

Wedding Planning is In Tents!

Get it? In tents = Intense! Go ahead, laugh. You know you want to.

Yeah, not all weddings are actually in tents, but mine has to be. Not that I want it to be, more like if I don't rent a tent it WILL rain. It may even rain if I do rent a tent, but either way, with my luck I can't chance that I'll have good weather. (please don't rain, please don't rain, please don't rain) People keep asking if I've checked the Farmer's Almanac. Yes. However, I don't remember what it said (seriously) and I don't believe that things can be predicted that far out anyway. How could it? You can't predict the earthquakes and volcanoes we've been having lately around the world, so how would you predict if there will be tiny little raindrops on my wedding day? To apease those, let's do a little experiment. I'm going to pick two dates and let's follow up and see if the FA is right. K? Ok actually online it only gives you free forecasts up to 2 months, which apparently is only til the end of May, so we're limited here. Let's start with... May 8th in Kansas City, MO (where I'll be visiting MOH Ryann!) and May 14th in Philly (Bridesmaid Amanda's Bachelorette Party). I'd like to try another summer date when I can, so I'll pick a couple more dates in about a month or so. Anyway, the stupid thing is, it doesn't give you weather for the exact dates, it's date ranges. As in, May 9-17: A few T storms. Wow, thank you Farmer's Almanac. You've really blown my mind with that one. So as you can tell, I'm not feeling very reliant on FA, which brings me back to needing a tent.

Major find when I went home for the BARKS weekend - cheap tents! (and chairs, dance floor, etc.) There's a party place in my town that I swear hasn't been there for long, but according to the website has been in business for 10 years, and MOH Cassie swears it's been there for at least 5. Anyway, I decided to go check it out and see what their prices were. I've been told by a couple rental companies that I need a 30x60 tent (costing well over a grand), and also by at least one that I need at 50x60 (oh, only about $2500). This place? Well UNDER a grand. And actually about half the price of at least one of the other companies! Free delivery and setup for people within 10 miles of my town - which is awesome because I live 0 miles from my town! Well, MOB does, same thing. They also have chairs for an absurdly lower price than EVERY other place I've looked, and they even give you an additional price break for 100 or more chairs. I haven't seen a quantity price break for chairs ANYWHERE else. They don't have everything I need to rent, unfortunately, but I'm willing to rent everything I can from them and use another company for the rest - the prices are too good to pass up! I also called and spoke to one of the owners one day this past week, and he was awesome. I've spoken to a few rental companies now, and some have been straight up jerks. This guy was super nice, super knowledgeable, and, duh, super cheap! I can't even explain to you all the ways he made me feel confident about using his company. I really wish they rented all the other stuff I need! Oh man, I love getting a deal, and not having to sacrifice service for it!

It really does amaze me, by the way, how much math is involved with wedding planning. I never thought I'd be calculating square footage of a dance floor or area under a tent for my wedding. And trust me, you really should try to calculate it yourself or look to others who have done it for help. I got so many different size quotes from so many different rental companies it's ridiculous! How can it be so? They're trying to upsell you, the jerkfaces.

For anyone who needs info. on tent renting, here's a good article from the Wedding Bible, aka Martha Stewart Weddings: http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/article/renting-a-tent?page=1

-C

xxx

The Window To My Soul...

Not really. Just a window. Well, 4 windows to be exact. Lookie what I now have in my possession! Old windows! Yay!

Wait, do you not get why I'm so excited? Ok let me show you...

(via Green Wedding Shoes)

(via Gypsy Daisy)

(via Marvin)

(via Style Me Pretty)

There are way too many options, the hard part is going to be deciding what to do with them!

Want to know how much they cost and where I got them from? $0, from my mom's house. Yup, MOB had new windows put in and I just so happened to be there when the contractors were coming to throw out the old ones. So I stopped them and took them, because, seriously, old windows rock. Just maybe not actually IN your house because of the lack of insulation and such. But aesthetically, they rock.

-C
xxx

Top Down, Windows Up, Heat On

Yeah, that's the way we roll... on the way home from the BARKS sale. Ok, not all the time, but this time we did and I've definitely done it in the past. It was below 50 out, windy, dreary, chilly... but we found a desk for my brother and needed a way to get it home, so down the top went on my convertible. I don't know if he realizes it, but my brother probably made out the best this weekend, and he didn't even go to the sale! Actually, I'm almost positive he doesn't realize it. He has yet to realize that just because something was at a yard/garage/whatever sale that doesn't mean there's something wrong with it.Come on, you can't say that's not a nice desk! ($20!) He wasted no time getting it into his room and putting all his crap on it.

Anyway, I also scored pretty big this weekend at the BARKS sale.

Ok so first of all here's what I didn't get, that was on my list, but am not too worried about finding:
-wood for signs (I'll probably find that lying around somewhere anyway)
-bread baskets (only if I found a bunch of small ones that looked nice... didn't)
-shoe stretcher (didn't really think I'd find one, but put it on the list just in case)

And this is what was on my list that I did get!:
-more 8x10 frames (for table names)
-baskets (for various uses)
-furniture specifically for wedding use
-light switch (um because mine broke)
-green glass (Because you can never have enough green glass when you're using it to decorate your wedding! Oh did i mention that?? Another post, another day...)

Everything on my list was for the wedding (except the light switch), but the furniture I felt I needed to specify that I wasn't looking for a desk (um, which we found anyway). Having to rent every tiny little thing for a backyard wedding... well, sucks. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have it any other way, but trust me when I say you really have to think of every.little.thing. a person is going to need at your wedding since it's not like you can find it once they're all there! Do you know how many tables you need at a wedding? Not counting the ones you're sitting at, there's also the buffet tables, drink table, placecard table, guestbook table, card/gift tables, program table, cake table... I'm sure I'm missing one or two, but you get the idea. Anyway, I've seen (and I'm sure a lot of you have as well) people using a lot of antique furniture at their weddings lately (via bridal blogs and wedding sites of course). Like an antique dresser with a memorial to those who've passed away (there's one I forgot to mention), and some people even have some sort of furniture as their "altar" or backdrop for where they stand when they say their vows. I SUPER HEART this. I don't know if you know this about me, but I am all about the retro and antique stuff. My room is full of it! So one of my goals of going to BARKS this weekend was to be on the lookout for pieces that could be used as not only decoration at the wedding but would also be functional. I present to you, my proudest find of the weekend (and literally we found it within 30 seconds of walking in), the vanity set:

for only...

I am in LOOOOOVE with my vanity! I can't wait to paint it! It's going to be tarnished gold with black covering the cheesy green "marble". And I already know its purpose - where people can sit and sign the guestbook (whatever I end up using for a guestbook)! AND I already know where I'm going to put it in my house, too! I can't believe it was only $3!

Alright, looks like I'm getting a bit long winded (read: excited) about my finds (and hey, I haven't blogged much this week!), so I'll just show you some pics of the rest of the stuff.

Table to be painted black and utilized at wedding

baskets for programs, coasters, etc. (yes, the bottom one is green!)

As I said above, I have no idea what I'm doing for a guest book yet, but this is new and in the package (the writing is just a sample, there's a blank one underneath), so how could I pass it up??

I also got... a big corkboard that I could cover or cut (I'll find something to do with it), yellow curtains for my kitchen (when FH and I move in together that is), pretty lace to lay over one of the 800 tables I mentioned before, some pretty green pillow shams, a new Brita (literally the one I was going to register for), and various other small things. By the way - not counting the desk, I think my mom and I spent $15 TOTAL. Yeah, as in all together.

I'd say it was a success, wouldn't you?

-C
xxx

Beauty Update

I know you're all dying to know what I got at the BARKS sale this weekend but... well, I was busy unpacking all my crap from the weekend last night and didn't have time to upload pics! So next post will be all my fabulous finds, promise. In the meantime...

Um so by the way I dropped way too much money at Ulta when I went not this weekend but the weekend before. Thanks MOH Ryann. Thanks a lot. Oh, and by the way thanks for picking up when I called you from the store. I was in panic mode. Yes, this is how makeup handicap I am. Ulta overwhelmed me. I was scared.
Anyway, I didn't even buy what anyone suggested! I ended up having the makeup chick put a couple things on me, admitting to her my own makeup handicaps, and ended up with Urban Decay's Surreal Skin Cream to Powder Foundation. Yeah, I know, I was going for something different, but I was having a hard time going back to full on liquid foundation, and having a hard time committing to just a powder as well. I don't know what it is, powder just makes my face look SO DRY. And hey, guess what! The makeup chick even told me NOT to get Bare Minerals. (What?!) Yeah, you heard me. I know it's all the rage, but she didn't even want to put it on my face. I don't know how, but I'm pretty sure she figured out that I don't like to spend a lot of time on my makeup in the mornings just by a quick glance. Anyhoo - ended up with the Urban Decay foundation (I heart Urban Decay's eye makeup and use it every single day of my life anyway, so was all for their foundation), a foundation brush (who knew such a thing existed?? probably everyone but me...), super shiny lip gloss (HIGHLY recommended by MOH Ryann), and yellow eye shadow. Ok, don't go all "huh??" on me on the last thing. You've surely seen my post on yellow by now, and when I saw the eye shadow I just couldn't help myself because I knew it would go super with my yellow outfits. I have this thing where I like to change my makeup to constantly, and almost exactly, match my outfits. I swear you can't really tell, but I do it. Purple eyeliner + purple shirts, dark blue eyeliner + navy mascara + navy shirts, green shadow + green shirts... trust me, I'm not a freak, nor do I look like one (at least not as far as makeup is concerned), and, no, you don't have to call "What Not To Wear." I'm good, I promise. I just like to match.

Oh, right, so I should probably tell you that so far I love the foundation! It may take a little longer to put on in the morning, and I need to get into a bit of a different routine instead of just doing my makeup on the train (oh, I'll still do the rest, but I'm talking doing foundation at home, the rest on the train), but I love the final product. AND I'm falling truly, madly, deeply in love with the most recent facial cleanser I bought at LUSH (Coal Face). It's just... so... um. Well, the girl at the store described it as making you feel squeaky clean and that really about sums it up to be honest! See, this is what I wanted! To fall in love with products I couldn't live without. THIS is how you create a regimin my friends. Unfortunately you all already know that, so I'm really just talking to myself.

-C
xxx

PS I bought a Shake Weight this weekend! The first time I used it it took about 3 miniutes before my underarm flabby area was sore! That means it's working to me! It says it's not sold in stores, but I totally bought it at Bed Bath & Beyond (where everything that's "Seen on TV" is sold) with a $5 AND 20% coupon. Go me.

Work It Girl

New goal - working out. For real this time. Now, by no means am I going to be crazily working out at all times or anything, but going from not working out at.all. to a couple times a week and (semi) watching what I eat is a big step for me. I know I complain a lot about going to the gym, and in the past it's been complaint followed by not going to the gym... but now it'll be complaint followed by going to the gym! I'm well aware that I'm nowhere near overweight or anything, but that does not stop me from wanting to look my best on my wedding day. Who wouldn't want that? These pics are immortalized in albums, on walls, camera phones, and, obviously most importantly, on facebook*, and I've seen plenty of bad pictures in my day to know that I want no part in that. So now that I've hit the just over 5 month mark (AHHHHH!!!) , it's time to get crackin' on this (especially since I'm not planning on crazily working out - this could be a slow process my friends).

I have to give credit here to my wonderful FH, even though it's really just his impatience that's made me change from slacker to... well, slightly less slacker-ish at least. I guess he was tired of hearing me complain about the gym, and told me that I don't have to like it, but I have to want to go or I never will. (He also said something about stopping saying how much I hate the gym.) No, this is not verbatim, and he has a better memory than me so will remember the conversation better, but what I got out of it was basically "put up or shut up." It helped! I really do hate the gym, but now I think about the end goal and instead of being lazy after work, I've started going. Ok, ok, it's only week two, and I've only technically gone to the GYM twice, but I've honestly been busy every night after work and have been doing my workout DVDs and ExerciseTV workouts on demand when I can't make the gym! I'm serious this time, and I'm thanking FH for it. I don't think he really meant to, but he knocked some sense into me. I must disclose that I'm not giving up things I love (beer, delicious food, etc.), but will be doing certain things in moderation. I'm trying this *new* concept of not eating past full. So far, I'm not doing too bad. Sure, I'm drinking a beer right now... but I did not eat past full tonight and haven't had a beer (margaritas don't count) since Friday night. Plus I love beer. Plus I worked out triple time the past two days. Plus why do I have to explain why I'm drinking delicious beer?? (Magic Hat's Odd Notion if you're wondering.)

I am also disclosing that this video is TRUE inspiration for me. If I could post it on my fridge/forehead so that it could be a constant reminder of what I'm trying to get rid of, I would. I totally feel like Christina Applegate IS ME in this scene. Or vice versa, whatever. (fast forward to the 25 second mark):


In recap, I'm going to start half-ass working out (at least for now) instead of not working out at all. Be proud of me, please??

-C
xxx

PS I finally did my taxes.

*Just kidding, not most importantly.

Weekend Update

This is more for me than it is for you. I just like feeling accomplished :)

~get seeds started inside so I can have pretty flowers to see this spring/summer
~tend to my garden so it's ready when the seedlings are
~work out!
~add a couple things to my registry that I can't do online
~return things to Michael's... and buy things at Michael's (I have coupons, and a gift card I keep forgetting to use!)
~get started on VIP corsages (ok, at least THINK about what I want them to look like)
~spray paint my mini chalkboards (awesome yard sale find)
~not spend too much time at $ tree this weekend ($ tree rocks my world)
~go to Ulta (yup, found one) after the recommendation from MOH Ryann on the beauty post the other day, assuming she lets me know what I'm looking for
~check DSW for green wedding shoes (and then when I don't find anything, buy the Louboutins I've recently fallen in love with)
~get black spray paint for painting some of the thrifty finds I've gotten and foresee getting in the future
~oh right, should probably do my taxes considering we only have until Thursday
~send out the mass wedding email!
~start thinking of things to look for at BARKS next weekend!

Yeah... still need to do my taxes. But at least I got a lot of other things accomplished! And let me tell you, gardening itself took like... hmm... 5 hours straight I guess - and I have a tiny little garden! I think that also qualifies as a workout. So I worked out twice as much yesterday! Which makes me feel better about not doing my taxes... AND in lieu of spray painting the chalkboards (I already started this a while ago anyway, just needs a second coat) and the corsages, I DID work on my wedding jewelry. What? You didn't know I got wedding jewelry? Yup! Pretty sure it's a keeper, too. I purchased the necklace and earring set off Etsy (I heart Etsy). The only problem is there are these "beads" on them that make it look... kinda cheesy. So I borrowed jewelry tools from Bonnie and got cracking on taking them off (gotta give her credit, her idea). The necklace looks A LOT better, but the earrings I haven't done yet. Yes, there are only 4 beads total on the set... no, it shouldn't take that long... but I'm hesitant to take them off the earrings because they'll look really bare when I do, so I'm holding off on that until I find something to take the place of the cheesy beads. OH, and I also worked on my invites this weekend. They are thisclose to being done! And by "done" I mean the prototype is almost done and THEN I can start handmaking them all! I'm excited to start to be honest. Plus, I was reading another blog the other day about this girl who sent her invites earlier than "etiquette says" and she's so happy she did so she has at least a rough idea of how many people to expect. Thinking of doing that if I can get the invites ready in time! I also emailed 17 rental companies this weekend (backyard wedding = renting EVERYTHING). I already have 4 voicemails (and about 10 emails) that I haven't checked yet. I hate when you email people and they call you back! Lame-o's.

I heart feeling accomplished.

-C

xxx

PS I blame the fact that the corsages didn't get done (or thought about) on watching Paranormal Activity on Saturday night. I got home, called MOB and made her stay on the phone with me until I could wash my face, brush my teeth, and stock up on water, then I locked myself in my room for the rest of the night. Yes, that's where I do my crafts, but I just couldn't focus! We have a pretty big house and no one's ever home and it gets scary...

PPS I HATE that I can't do the symbol for heart on here and really freaking annoyed that when I tried the system actually ate about a paragraph of what I wrote and I had to write it all over again! It thought I was trying to write html. UGH.